ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM CAIRO — A diplomatic solution must
be found to the escalating tension between North Korea and the United States,
Pope Francis told journalists. "The path (to take) is the path of
negotiation, the path of a diplomatic solution," he said when asked about
U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to send Navy warships to the region in
response to North Korea's continued missile tests and threats to launch nuclear
strikes against South Korea, Japan and the United States.

"What do you say to these leaders who hold responsibility
for the future of humanity," the pope was asked, during a Q-and-A with
journalists on the flight to Rome April 29 after a 27-hour trip to Cairo.

"I will call on them. I'm going to call on them like I have
called on the leaders of different places," he said. There are many
facilitators and mediators around the world who are "always ready to
help" with negotiations, the pope said. The situation in North Korea, he
added, has been heated for a long time, "but now it seems it has heated up
too much, no?"